


The Dragon Of Castle Trifels

by Blue_Night



Series: Trifels: Tales and Legends from the Pfälzer Wald [8]
Category: Football RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alternate Universe, Castles, Developing Relationship, Dragons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Erik is a physician, Fairy Tale Elements, Falling In Love, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Magic, Marco is still a footballer, Pfälzer Wald, Romance, story in the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 13:10:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10022060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/pseuds/Blue_Night
Summary: Erik is a young medical student, and he is working in the souvenir shop of Castle Trifels during the summer vacations, where he unexpectedly meets the famous footballer Marco Reus and his nephew Nico being on vacation in the Pfälzer Wald. Will a small orange dragon and a magical fairytale let a miracle come true and make Marco fall in love with Erik?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FechtarTheDragon (mariothellama)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariothellama/gifts), [GoForGoals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/gifts), [pinkquill22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkquill22/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Good medicine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3199202) by [GoForGoals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/pseuds/GoForGoals). 
  * Inspired by [The Lonely Dragon: A Love Story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9392345) by [mariothellama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariothellama/pseuds/mariothellama). 



> For my sweet little dragoness Fechtar, the most wonderful dragon in the world, and her wonderful Mistress mariothellama. Thank you for always being there for me. <33
> 
> For my Schneeweißchen, because I love your Dr. Erik that much. Thank you for everything, my dear friend. :-*
> 
> For pinkquill22, because your wonderful and lovely comments warm my heart even when I'm feeling totally down. Thank you so much for your support, my dear. <33
> 
> My dear readers, this story popped up in my mind this morning, and I wrote it down in one go. It contains all of my favorites: Durmeus, my beloved King Richard even though only mentioned, the Blondel-saga alternated to make it fit in, the beautiful Pfälzer Wald and its proud Castle Trifels, and last but not least the cutest dragon in the world, Fechtar the brave figther.  
> I have to warn you though, this is pure and total fluff, but I needed some Durmeus-fluff today. I hope you will like it, please let me know. <33

_Castle Trifels in all its glory as you can see it from its sister-castles Anebos and Scharfeneck:_

  


“Thank you for taking over my shift, Erik!” his colleague Mathilda said, and the young student smiled at her. “It's not a problem at all, Tilda,” he assured her with a smile. “You know that I am always glad when I can work here during the summer vacations.”

“Yes, but it was pretty short-timed,” the small and slim woman with the chin-long bob chided herself. Erik only shrugged and gently pushed her towards the door. “Your friend needs you, so you have to see her and console her. I don't think that there will be a run today. It's Monday and already later in the afternoon, there won't be too much visitors coming here anyway.”

Mathilda sighed but smiled gratefully at her younger colleague, finally taking her bag and leaving the shop with her skirt swinging around her legs.

Erik Durm watched her heading down the steep path until she was out of sight before he started to check the shelves with the souvenirs. It was a warm and sunny summer day, but Mondays were always the days where only few visitors found their way to the proud castle sitting enthroned on top of one the mountains of his beloved home, the Pfälzer Wald, and he actually loved the quiet afternoons in the shop when he could find some rest from his pretty hectic and busied life as a medical student.

The jingling sound of the small bells hanging over the door made him turn around just in time to watch a young man with blond hair entering the shop. He carried a small boy in his arms, a desperately crying small boy to be precise. Erik stepped closer, his jaw almost dropping open when he realized who his late customer was.

Erik didn't know how this could happen, but there was actually one of Germany's most famous footballers standing in his shop, wiping the sweat from his forehead while he tried to console the crying child at the same time. Marco Reus looked even better so close by than he looked on the TV screens or on the pictures on the front page of BILD or Kicker, and Erik swallowed and put himself to order again only with effort.

Marco Reus might be a famous footballer, but at the moment, he was Erik's customer who obviously needed help with his nephew – at least Erik suspected that the sweet boy was his nephew Nico - and he surely didn't need Erik fanboying over him and asking for an autograph.

“Good afternoon, how can I help you? Does this little man need some medical help?” Erik asked, pointing at the bleeding knee that was probably the reason for the desperate tears of the boy.

“Mommy, I want mommy!” the boy cried, and Erik's unexpected visitor sighed and rocked him gently. “I know, Nico. But mommy isn't here, you know that mom and dad are on vacation in Scotland.”

“MOMMY!!!” Nico seemed to be inconsolable, and Erik realized that he had to take over control of the situation when he caught Marco's pleading glance.

“Hello Nico, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Would you be okay with me taking a look at your knee? I am not a doctor yet, and I don't wear a white coat, but I think I can help you,” the brunet student offered, and the boy actually stopped his crying and eyed Erik from the side.

“That's ouch!” he complained, and Erik nodded sincerely. “I can imagine, Nico. Do you want to sit here on my counter? Your uncle can hold your hand while I bandage your knee, okay?”

Marco regarded Erik a little mistrustfully, but he relaxed when Erik smiled at him. “I'm sorry for the trouble, Mr...?”

Erik shook his head, pointing at the counter. “It's no trouble at all for me, Mr. Reus. This young man here is suffering, and I am glad that I can be of help. And my name is Erik, Erik Durm.”

Marco carefully lowered his nephew down onto the counter, wrapping his left arm around the boy's shoulders while offering his right hand to Erik with a relieved sigh. “Thank you, Erik, Nico and I will forever be indebted to you. And please call me Marco,” he said, finally returning his smile with one of his lopsided grins. Erik's heart started to race when he found it directed at him, and it was even more breathtaking and beautiful than it was when Erik had seen it on the screen of his TV.

“Thank you, Marco. I will be back right away with the bandage,” he promised, hurrying to the rear of the shop to grab the medical kit. Nico was sniffing when he came back, new tears welling up in his eyes when he saw Erik taking the white bandage and the disinfect out of the kit.

“Ouch, ouch!” he sobbed, trying to pull his knee out of Erik's reach. The young student paused, his eyes scanning the shelves for a distraction for the boy. He smiled when his eyes fell upon his favorite plushy, a small orange dragon with a yellow belly, red wings and red crests on its head. He took the little dragon from the shelf and put it on his flat palm, crouching down before the boy so the snout of the plushy was right in front of Nico's face.

“Do you know who this brave and fierce dragon is, Nico?” he asked the boy, and Marco's nephew bit his lip and shook his head with a sniff, eyeing the plushy with both, mistrust and interest.

“No, I've never seen a dragon like this one,” he mumbled, sniffing again. Erik let the small dragon move its head. “This is Fechtar, the dragon of Castle Trifels,” he said, “Fechtar is actually a dragoness, and she lived here in the Pfälzer Wald several hundred years ago. Her name means 'fighter', an appropriate name for a dragon I think. Do you want me to tell you her story when I have bandaged your knee?”

Nico chewed on his lip, his gaze darting back and forth between the cute plushy and the white bandage lying on the counter. Erik waited patiently until the boy had made up his mind and finally nodded his head with obvious reluctance. “Do you want to hold Fechtar for a while? I think she likes you.”

Nico looked at his uncle for permission, and when Marco nodded, he took the small dragon and pressed it against his chest. Erik exchanged a quick, understanding glance with the blond footballer before he started to clean the undamaged skin around the still bleeding wound with the disinfect.

“So you're on vacation with your uncle, Nico?” he asked to distract the boy from his pain, and Nico nodded, squeezing his eyes shut and burying his face in Marco's jacket, the little dragon trapped between his face and Marco's chest.

Erik hastily averted his eyes when he realized where he was staring at, focusing on his task again. “My sister and my brother-in-law wanted to go on vacation for two weeks, and I offered them to see to Nico while they are in Scotland. I thought it to be a good idea to go on vacation with Nico as well, we arrived just yesterday. It is hard to find a place in Germany where we would be undisturbed, and the Pfälzer Wald seemed to be the best choice. It is not that crowded, and Nico loves old castles.”

Erik licked over his lips, carefully wrapping the bandage around Nico's knee. “You will find plenty of old castles here, and my home is the most beautiful place on earth,” he said with a blush and sheepish grin. “There are also rumors that there are still some dragons sleeping in their lairs, but it is hard to find them nowadays. They are shy and hiding their caves from prying eyes with their magic. I could show you around if you like to, the dragons are more willing to show themselves to the Pfälzer who have lived here for a long time.”

Marco and Nico beamed at him, the small boy forgetting his pain now that his knee was bandaged properly. “You wold really do that, Erik?” the footballer asked, his face as eager as the face of his nephew. “Don't you have to work?”

Erik stood up from his crouched position, leaning against the counter and ruffling Nico's hair. “The shop will close in one hour, if you're willing to wait until then, I will give you an exclusive guiding tour through Castle Trifels. My colleague Mathilda is normally running this shop, I am helping her during the vacations. I am actually studying medicine in Homburg where the next university clinic is, I want to become a pediatrician one day.”

Marco smiled warmly at him. “You will be a great pediatrician, Erik, I know that for sure. And Nico and I would be thrilled if you would do that for us. I must admit that I would be most grateful for two weeks without having to give autographs and pose for photos for fans. It's not that I don't like that or that I don't know that my faithful fans deserve that, but Nico is my first priority at the moment.”

Erik nodded his head. “Of course, he is, Marco, and you two have every right to have a real vacation without a bunch of fans following you all of the time. It's fixed then, I will show you Castle Trifels later when the last visitor has left, I have the keys and we will be undisturbed. I can ask Mathilda for a couple of days off, that won't be a problem. I guess that you're staying in a holiday lodge?”

Marco nodded. “Yes, it's called 'The Boathouse'. It's quite charming.”

“I know this holiday lodge, you were lucky to get it, it is always booked during the summer vacations.”

The blond grinned. “Yes, it was. The couple that had booked it had to cancel their vacations, and I didn't hesitate and booked it right away.” He lifted Nico up on his arms again. The boy leaned his head against Marco's shoulder, the little dragoness wrapped safely in his arms. It was clear that Nico wouldn't let go of Fechtar again, and Erik was all too happy that his favorite plushy had found someone who would cherish her the way she deserved it.

“Do you want to give Fechtar a new home?” he asked. “You must know that she has once had a friend who looked just like you.”

Nico looked intrigued, stroking the red wings with rapt devotion. “Yes, I want to give Fechtar a new home,” he said happily, placing a rather loud and wet peck on her nose, and Erik raised his hand when Marco pulled his wallet out of his pocket.

“Fechtar can't be sold or bought, Marco. She can only be gifted to someone special, to someone she has chosen to be her new human mate, and she has obviously chosen Nico to be her new mate. This brave and fierce little dragoness has waited for a very long time for the right boy to come to her, and I am convinced that fate has brought you here on this afternoon.” Erik of course knew that he would have to put the money for the plushy into the register later on, but Nico's blissful expression proved to him that he had chosen the right words.

Marco stuffed his wallet back into his pocket. “Thank you, Erik, you've made a small boy very happy,” he said hoarsely and with a grateful smile that lit up his handsome features, and Erik knew for sure that he would never forget this day in his life, even not when he would be old and gray.

 

***

 

“Several hundred years ago, there was king being held captive here in this proud castle, and his name was Richard, but everyone called him the Lionheart because of his braveness,” Erik started the promised story when they had visited the castle two hours later. Nico had forgotten his knee and run through the ancient masonry with Fechtar snuggled close in his arm, exploring the corridors and rooms with shouts of joy.

Marco and Erik had followed a little slower, and Marco's glances and his smile had made Erik's heart race the entire time. He had told them the story of the former important imperial castle, including the time the English sovereign Richard I. had spent on Castle Trifels as the hostage of Emperor Heinrich. They now sat in the rebuilt emperor's hall with Nico cuddled up against his beloved uncle and his new plushy friend nestled against his own small chest.

“King Richard's own people suffered badly because the emperor Heinrich refused to let him go, and they all hoped that a miracle would happen and bring their king back to them. There was a young boy, a little bit older than you, Nico. He looked like you, only his hair was as golden as the hair of your uncle. His real name was Nicholas – you probably know that Nico is a short version of Nicholas - but everyone called him Blondel because of his golden hair. Blondel was one of Richard's most faithful companions, and he missed his king deeply. Richard had once saved him from a cruel fate, and Nicholas-Blondel had thanked him with singing the king's favorite songs for him with his beautiful voice and being his most faithful friend before Richard had left England to fight in the Holy Land.

The young bard wanted to free his beloved king and left his own home to search for him, but no one could tell him where the king was held as a prisoner, and Nicholas-Blondel finally lost his hope and sat down on the ground in a thick and dark forest, crying hot tears because he feared that he would never find Richard. He didn't know that the large rock he was leaning against was actually the entrance to the lair of a huge and mighty dragon, and you can surely imagine his surprise and his fear when the rock suddenly moved to the side and the hot breath of an angry dragon tickled his neck.”

Nico gasped out and stared at the small dragon in his arms, and Erik could have sworn that Fechtar winked at him with her eye. She seemed to like the story that had come to Erik when he had bandaged Nico's knee, and Erik stroked her nose and went on with his story.

“The huge dragon was actually a dragoness, and she had slept for a very long time in this hidden cave. She had once lived in Scotland – where your parents are at the moment, because Scotland is the home of every dragon living in this world. But it is a rather small country and some of the dragons searched for a new home and came to the Pfälzer Wald because there were a lot of enchanted lairs waiting for a mighty dragon, and Fechtar had been one of them. Fechtar was a little angry at first that the young boy had woken her up, but when she saw that he was crying, her anger faded and she asked him why he was so sad. You must know that dragons can communicate with humans telepathically.”

Erik could feel Marco's gaze on his face, and he could see that the older one was as fascinated by his story as his nephew was. He smiled at him, and the famous footballer smiled back as if Erik was the most wonderful being in the world to him.

The young student swallowed and continued to tell his story. “Nicholas-Blondel was scared at first, but when he saw the friendly expression in Fechtar's eyes, he relaxed and told her that he was sad because he couldn't find his beloved king to save him. The dragoness felt pity with the faithful bard and offered her help, because she knew where Richard the Lionheart was. She could see everything happening in the world in the enchanted lake in her lair, and when she heard that Richard's people suffered because their king was a prisoner, she promised Nicholas-Blondel to bring him to Castle Trifels and save his king.

But she wanted to have something in return, and the young boy with the golden hair promised her to fulfill her every wish if she helped him saving his king. Fechtar agreed to that and took Nicholas-Blondel on her back to fly with him to Castle Trifels. When the people living there saw a huge orange and red dragon landing on the tower of their castle, they cried with fear and ran away, and the faithful bard could free his king. Fechtar took both of them on her back and flew over the ocean to bring Richard the Lionheart and his friend back to their own people, just like she had promised to do.

It must have been quite a sight when Fechtar landed in London on the roof of Richard's castle, and King Lionheart thanked her and asked her what he could do for her as a reward.  
Fechtar only shook her head and said that Nicholas-Blondel had already rewarded her by being her friend and that her only wish was that he would sing the dragon-song for her.  
No human had been able to sing the dragon-song until that day, but Nicholas-Blondel took his harp and sang this special song for her, the very special and unique song every dragon sings when they feel lonely and are missing their former home Scotland, and his voice was the most beautiful sound imaginable.

Each and every inhabitant of the city of London stopped in their doing, they all listened to the bard's singing, and when the last tune had faded, Fechtar thanked the boy and gave him a collar made of amber-green pearls. The pearls were the tears she had cried while he had sung for her, and they would protect him as long as he would wear them.  
Then, she spiraled into the nightly sky and flew back to her lair in the Pfälzer Wald near Castle Trifels while Nicholas-Blondel stayed at Richard's side until the brave Lionheart died in a battle.

His most faithful friend buried him and left his home to go back to the Pfälzer Wald to his beloved dragoness Fechtar, and he lived with her in her enchanted lair until his human life on earth was over. They sang the dragon-song together every night, sitting on top of the red rocks of the Pfälzer Wald, their beautiful voices filling the entire forest with their magical tunes.  
Fechtar missed her human friend very much when he was gone because no human is immortal and lives as long as dragons do, and she curled herself up in her lair to sleep until another boy would come to her.  
She has slept until today, and she woke up when she heard you crying, Nico, just like she woke up when Nicholas-Blondel cried before her cave. She has waited only for you, and I am sure that you will be friends for the rest of your lives.”

Erik finished his story, and both, Marco and Nico wiped their faces and smiled at him with tears of emotion in their eyes. “I will never leave Fechtar alone!” the boy promised, pressing the small dragon against his heart and stroking her furry nose.

Marco kissed his nephew on his soft hair and took Erik's hand to gently squeeze his fingers, and the expression in his beautiful amber-green eyes told Erik that he had won not only the heart of a small boy with his story, but also the heart of one of Germany's most famous footballers. “Thank you, Erik, this was a wonderful fairytale, and I do believe that it isn't only a fairytale, but the truth, because this small orange dragoness has brought us together.”

Erik smiled back and for a while, they simply sat next to each other in contented silence, Nico eventually falling asleep in Marco's arms after a truly enjoyable but also exhausting day. When Marco leaned forward, looking Erik deep in the eyes, the young student did the same until their lips touched for a first, shy kiss, a kiss that was sweeter than any other kiss Erik had ever gotten.

When they parted again to watch the orange-golden ball of the evening sun going down under the horizon through the large window, Erik looked at Fechtar watching the sun going down in Nico's arms, and this time, the young student was sure that she winked at him with one of her eyes, her little dragon face looking proud and as happy as Erik felt himself.

 

***

 

_Five Years Later:_

 

“Nico, we're going to be late!” Marco shouted in the direction of the stairs, and Erik chuckled at the impatience of his still very famous footballer-boyfriend. “I'm always amazed that you are more impatient and eager to visit my beautiful home than I am,” he stated, shaking his head in amusement.  
He lived for more than three years in Dortmund now, finishing his education as a pediatrician at one of Dortmund's hospitals. They had fallen in love during Marco's and Nico's vacations, and Erik couldn't have been happier than he was with Marco, even though he of course missed his beloved Pfälzer Wald now and then.  
Marco rolled his eyes, putting his hands on his hips. “Don't try to fool me, you can't hardly wait to go there yourself. I know how much you miss your home, love. Besides, Tilda promised us her famous lasagna, and if we're lucky enough to avoid any traffic jam, we can even visit Castle Trifels today. Nico! Where are you?”

The now ten-year-old boy rushed down the stairs, waving a small orange-red plushy through the air. “I had to search for Fechtar,” he panted, his messy hair proving that he must have crawled under the bed during his search.

“I see. Are you not old enough to spend two weeks without her?” Marco asked, earning a scowl from both, his nephew and his boyfriend. “You're not serious, Marco, are you? Vacations in the Pfälzer Wald without Fechtar? No way!” Nico said, “I promised her to never leave her alone. How could I visit her home without her? She would never ever forgive me that!”

Erik ruffled Nico's hair. “You're perfectly right, Nico. A trip to Fechtar's beloved home without her is not arguable.”

Marco blushed and grinned sheepishly. He pressed a quick apologetic peck onto the small dragoness' snout, stroking her head. “Nico and Erik are right of course, Fechtar. I would never leave you behind, please stop looking at me that reproachfully, I'm already feeling bad. But you should stop hiding yourself right before our departure, you know how scary Mathilda can be when her wonderful lasagna is getting cold.”

Fechtar seemed to be content with Marco's apology, because her expression became cheerful, and Erik wrapped his arms around Marco's and Nico's shoulders. “Alright, let's go, guys. Nico promised Fechtar to find the cave where her dragon friend Matze is sleeping, so we'd better not let her and him wait. Not to mention Mathilda and what she will do if we're too late for dinner.”

Nico and Marco snickered and let themselves be pulled to the car, waving goodbye at Nico's parents before climbing into the vehicle. Erik sat down behind the steering wheel and started the engine, and it didn't take long until they were heading down south in the direction of the Pfälzer Wald, Erik's and Fechtar's beloved home, two young men crazy in love and a ten-year-old boy singing the magical dragon-song while a small orange-red dragon sitting in Nico's lap looked out of the window with a very smug and contented expression on her plushy face.

 

_Litte Fechtar during her visit of the ruins of Castle Lindelborn:_

  


**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this story, please leave kudos and comments, there is nothing more rewarding and motivating than your visible approval. <33


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